[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION REFORM

  (Mr. BURR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURR. Mr. Speaker, the United States has the best health care 
system in the world. It is unthinkable for Americans to have anything 
less than superior access to lifesaving drugs. By safety streamlining 
the drug approval process we can not only help families and seniors by 
lowering drug prices and keeping high paying jobs on American soil, but 
we will give terminally ill patients access to lifesaving treatments.
  Yesterday patients from across this country came to Washington and 
told us their hard stories about being denied access to drugs that may, 
in fact, save their lives. It is these courageous people that inspire 
us to reform the Food and Drug Administration.
  America's health care industry and patients are chained to a FDA 
process that provides no flexibility, no common sense, and has no human 
face. The average time for the drug approval in this country is a 
whopping 13 to 15 years. For terminally ill patients with no hope that 
timeable simply will not do.
  I urge my colleagues to watch FDA reform as it comes to this House 
floor later this month.

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